Radiotelegraph and Cable Terminal, Wellington

This facility was located in the General Post Office, and handled radiotelegraph and photo facsimile services using transmitters at Himatangi Radio and receivers at Makara Radio.

Radiotelegraph and cables room, Wellington General Post Office
Radiotelegraph and cables room, Wellington General Post Office, 24 May 1954. Courtesy Chris Underwood
Morse teleprinter position at the Radiotelegraph and Cables Terminal, Wellington General Post Office
Morse teleprinter position at the Radiotelegraph and Cables Terminal, Wellington General Post Office, 24 May 1954. Courtesy Chris Underwood
High-speed radiotelegraph at Wellington GPO
High-speed radiotelegraph at Room 53, Wellington GPO, 24 May 1954. Supervisor Dave Shearer is seated. The radio picture equipment was housed in a small room immediately behind the photographer. Courtesy Chris Underwood
Cable Terminal at Wellington GPO, transmitting position
Cable Terminal at Wellington GPO, transmitting position, 24 May 1954. Courtesy Chris Underwood
Cable Terminal at Wellington GPO, receiving position
Cable Terminal at Wellington GPO, receiving position, 24 May 1954. Courtesy Chris Underwood
Cable Terminal at Wellington GPO, receiving position
Cable Terminal at Wellington GPO, receiving position, 24 May 1954. Courtesy Chris Underwood
Two views of Room 53 at the Wellington GPO, dates unknown. A Muirhead-Jarvis facsimile machine can be seen in the second photo.
Two views of Room 53 at the Wellington GPO, dates unknown. A Muirhead-Jarvis facsimile machine can be seen in the second photo. Photos: Jack Colman
George Bourne (left, working on a Muirhead-Jarvis facsimile machine) and N Holding at the Radiotelegraph and Cables Terminal
George Bourne (left, working on a Muirhead-Jarvis facsimile machine) and N Holding at the Radiotelegraph and Cables Terminal. Date unknown, Courtesy Chris Underwood
George Bourne with radio photo receiver at the Overseas Terminal, GPO
George Bourne with radio photo receiver at the Overseas Terminal, GPO. From NZPO Annual Report, 31 Mar 1960, p35
Radio technician Peter Graham (?) working on a Muirhead-Jarvis facsimile machine at the Radiotelegraph and Cables Termina
Radio technician Peter Graham (?) working on a Muirhead-Jarvis facsimile machine at the Radiotelegraph and Cables Terminal. Date unknown. Courtesy Chris Underwood


In this 1956 video produced for the New Zealand Post Office, the Muirhead-Jarvis machine is seen in action, beginning at 3:21.

Photo labelled 'Internal Telegraph Office: Press Teleprinter transmitting position; line control and relay circuits in the right background.'
Photo labelled ‘Internal Telegraph Office: Press Teleprinter transmitting position; line control and relay circuits in the right background.’ Courtesy Chris Underwood
Photo labelled 'Internal Telegraph Office: Another view of some of the press transmitting positions.'
Photo labelled ‘Internal Telegraph Office: Another view of some of the press transmitting positions.’ Courtesy Chris Underwood

I think the two photos above are a room where reporters could type their own stories back to their newspaper both in New Zealand and abroad. Possibly these positions were installed to meet the demand for things like Royal Visits.
– Chris Underwood